Eagleton beamed at me as he stood. “Yes, young man, there is.” I had to suppress a smile at being called young man. “I need access to older issues of your local paper as well as those of national papers like the New York Times.”

“I can certainly help you with that.” I nodded in the direction of the front door. “Come on inside, and we’ll get you started. Our local paper went online in 1998, and we have microfilm of older issues. We also have access to the Times and other papers online through various databases. I can show you how to find them.”

“Smashing, absolutely smashing.” Eagleton beamed as he followed me to the door.

Diesel awaited right inside the library. He often became anxious when I left him for more than a few minutes. Usually he was happy with Lizzie and Bronwyn, but I figured he had picked up on the tension when Della Duffy made her abrupt exit.

“Everything is okay, boy.” I scratched his head, and he rewarded me with chirps and meows.

“Who is this fine fellow?” Eagleton stared at my cat, evidently fascinated. “I don’t recall that I have ever seen such a large domestic feline. I suppose he is a Maine Coon, is he not?”

“Yes, he is.” A point to Eagleton for recognizing the breed. “His name is Diesel, and he accompanies me everywhere. He’s big even for his breed.”

Diesel sidled closer to the stranger to allow his head to be rubbed, and Eagleton complied. I waited a few moments to let the two become acquainted while Bronwyn and Lizzie watched. Then I gently directed Eagleton toward the small room where we kept the microfilm of the pre-1998 issues of the Athena Daily Register. “If you’d like to start with these,” I said, “I can show you how to load the microfilm into the reader, if you need me to.”

“Thank you, young man, but that won’t be necessary.” Eagleton nodded at the equipment. “I am quite familiar with this technology. I rather think I will start in here, and perhaps later you can show me to a computer and help me get started with the papers online.”

“Certainly,” I said. Diesel and I left him humming as he examined the drawers in which the film was stored.

Eagleton emerged from the microfilm room about ten minutes before Diesel and I completed our volunteer shift for the day. I got him settled at a computer station, logged him in, and guided him to the links for the newspaper databases.

Diesel climbed happily into the backseat for the short drive home. Nothing was very far from anything else in Athena, one of the distinct advantages of living in a smaller town. Sean’s car was in the garage when I pulled in beside it, and I was surprised he would be home at a little past three thirty in the afternoon.